angina: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Medical, Technical, Formal
Quick answer
What does “angina” mean?
Chest pain or pressure, typically due to reduced blood flow to the heart muscle, often caused by coronary artery disease.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Chest pain or pressure, typically due to reduced blood flow to the heart muscle, often caused by coronary artery disease.
Less commonly, it can refer to acute sore throat, especially in the term 'Vincent's angina' (now rare) for a bacterial throat infection.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core medical meaning. British English may more commonly retain the historical throat infection sense in older texts or very specific medical contexts (e.g., 'Ludwig's angina', a neck infection).
Connotations
Strongly associated with heart conditions in both varieties. The word alone typically evokes cardiac issues.
Frequency
Equally common in medical contexts in both regions. Very low frequency in everyday conversation.
Grammar
How to Use “angina” in a Sentence
suffer from anginabe diagnosed with anginaexperience anginatreat anginaangina pectorisVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “angina” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- The patient presented with anginal symptoms.
- He was given medication for anginal pain.
American English
- She experienced anginal discomfort during the stress test.
- The anginal episode lasted several minutes.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in medical and health sciences literature.
Everyday
Rare. If used, it's in personal/family health discussions (e.g., 'My grandfather has angina').
Technical
The primary context. Used in cardiology, general medicine, nursing, and paramedicine.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “angina”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “angina”
- Using 'angina' to mean a common sore throat. Pronouncing it /ænˈdʒiː.nə/ instead of /ænˈdʒaɪ.nə/. Confusing it with 'anemia'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Angina is a symptom of reduced blood flow to the heart, often a warning sign. A heart attack (myocardial infarction) involves permanent damage due to a complete blockage.
It is rare but possible, especially with congenital heart conditions, severe anemia, or extremely high blood pressure. It is most common in middle-aged and older adults.
In practice, they are synonymous in a cardiac context. 'Angina pectoris' is the full Latin-derived term meaning 'chest tightness', while 'angina' is the common shortened form.
Both meanings derive from the Latin 'angere', meaning 'to strangle or choke'. The sensation of cardiac chest pain was likened to choking, as was the feeling of a severe throat infection.
Chest pain or pressure, typically due to reduced blood flow to the heart muscle, often caused by coronary artery disease.
Angina is usually medical, technical, formal in register.
Angina: in British English it is pronounced /anˈdʒaɪ.nə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ænˈdʒaɪ.nə/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No common idioms. The term is strictly medical.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: ANGelINA Jolene felt a pain in her heart. 'ANGINA' starts like 'ANGelINA' and ends with the heart's 'Ache'.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE HEART IS AN ENGINE; angina is a warning light/sign of fuel (blood/oxygen) starvation.
Practice
Quiz
In modern English, 'angina' most commonly refers to: